Mayumi
by Black Moon4
Summary: There's a new girl at Sariyashiki who's about to turn the Spirit Detectives' world upside down...R & R please! Status: FINISHED!!
1. Prologue: First Memory

Konnichi wa! This is Mhayren speaking. I hope you like my first fanfic. Domo arigato gozaimasu!!  
  
::DISCLAIMER:: Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to the one and only…Yoshihiro Togashi. So don't sue me. *Not that I have anything of value, anyway.*  
  
Memory  
  
Two dark shadows flew over the tall grass. One could barely hear their movements because of their great speed. Another shadow chased them. From it came a shout.  
  
  
  
"Hey, are you going to wait up, or what?"  
  
The two shadows in front stopped, revealing their true form. A small demon with spiky black hair dressed in black stood slightly behind a tall, silver haired kitsune.  
  
The kitsune grinned. "How can we steal anything with you tagging along like that? You're so slow." His grin got even wider. "And you're a girl."  
  
In front of the fox spirit stood a girl dressed totally in black. She wore a tight-fitting strapless black shirt and loose black pants. She was barefoot, like the kitsune, who wore a loose fitting white top and pants.  
  
The girl's eyes narrowed. "That's not very nice, Kurama. Stereotyping like that." She looked at the other demon. "You don't mind that I'm a girl, do you, Hiei?" she said in a sweet voice.  
  
Hiei chuckled. "I don't care."  
  
The girl laughed triumphantly. "Then it's two against one, Kurama!"  
  
"Two?"  
  
"Sure! Hiei doesn't mind, and I don't mind!"  
  
Hiei waved and ran out of sight.  
  
Kurama rolled his yellow eyes. "Anyway..." His tone became serious. "Is your father still angry about what I did the other day?"  
  
The girl looked away. "Worse," she said softly. "He's charged you with murder and theft." She glanced up into the kitsune's startled face.   
  
  
  
Murder? "But it was only a mirror."  
  
  
  
His friend shook her head.  
  
"If you go back," she whispered, "you will die." 


	2. The New Girl

"May I have your attention, students?"  
  
  
A shorter, stout man stood in the front of the classroom. From the way he had cleared his throat you would have thought every student would pay attention. It was a You-Better-Listen-Up-Because-If-You-Miss-It-You-Won't-Hear-It-Again kind of throat-clearing.  
  
  
However, not every student was paying attention. A boy in green had his head down on the desk and was snoring away. The boy next to him noticed and elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
  
He woke up in an instant. "What the hell--"  
  
  
Takenaka frowned slightly. He was the kind of principal who let these things slide occasionally. "May I continue, Urameshi Yusuke?"  
  
  
Yusuke scratched his head and yawned. "Whatever, old man."  
  
  
Again, Takenaka cleared his throat. "As I was saying, we have a new student who has moved here from Osaka and will be learning with us for the rest of the year. Her name is Nakagawa Mayumi. I know," he said meaningfully, "that you will help her adjust to Sariyashiki Junior High and make the remainder of the school year a great one. Understood?"  
  
  
There was a chorus of "Yes, Takenaka-sensei"s around the room. The principal smiled. "Excellent," he said, and beckoned to someone behind the door. It opened, and jaws dropped.  
  
  
In stepped every boy's dream girl and every girl's idol. She had long black hair that fell just below her waist. It was tied in a long ponytail. Two of her jet black locks fell over her ears. Her skin wasn't a sickly pale color, but rather a white, flawless complexion. She wore a white jacket and white flares, very different from the traditional girl's uniform: a blue skirt with a blue sailor top. Her right hand was in her pocket, while her left one rested on her hip. Her eyes seemed to be made of lapis and they shone like diamonds.  
  
  
They also seemed to be just as hard as she scanned the room.  
  
  
Yusuke, who's jaw had dropped just a few inches less than everyone else's in the room, nudged the boy next to him. Hard.  
  
  
"Hey, Kuwabara."  
  
  
"Huh--?" The furiously-blushing Kuwabara seemed not to register the fact that his ribs were now bruised.  
  
  
"She's coming to sit here!" Yusuke whispered. That woke his friend up. He started to run his hands through his curly orange hair. "Do I look normal?" he whispered as she sat by a desk next to Kuwabara.  
  
  
"If you mean tall, ugly, and stupid, I think you're on the mark--"  
  
  
"CAN IT, URAMESHI!"  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Finally, the end-of-school bell rung, and Kuwabara and Yusuke were in detention. Again. As usual, Yusuke was being scolded by a girl with short brown hair for not being serious about his studies.  
  
  
"Honestly, Yusuke, if you want to have the world record for detention, you'd only have to smart off to a sensei only two more times."  
  
  
Yusuke grinned. "Yeah, and then I'll get rich! Aw, come on, Keiko," he laughed as the girl scowled at him. "You've got to lighten up. Enjoy life!"  
  
  
Keiko smacked him. "I do…when I'm at home! But you decide to 'enjoy life' every few minutes! Be serious and you can enjoy life a lot more when you grow up to be rich!"  
  
  
The door opened, and the new girl walked in. She threw Yusuke and the others a quick, steely glance, and sat down at a desk. They all watched her pull out a textbook with her left hand.  
  
  
Suddenly, Kuwabara poked Yusuke. "Urameshi," he whispered.  
  
  
"Nani?" Yusuke yawned, rubbing his eyes.  
  
  
"That Mayumi girl's only using one hand to do things."  
  
  
It was true. Mayumi was flipping the pages and writing notes with her left hand.  
  
  
'He's right,' Yusuke thought, remembering their first encounter with her. 'Mayumi's right hand was in her pocket when she was presented to us.'  
  
  
Before he could say anything, Kuwabara had walked over to her and was standing behind her.  
  
  
Keiko and Yusuke looked at each other. "What is he doing?"  
  
  
It was a few minutes before Mayumi noticed Kuwabara breathing down her neck. She turned around. "Yes?"   
  
  
She had a clear, quiet voice. Kuwabara blushed.  
  
  
"Uh, I just wanted to introduce myself."  
  
  
Mayumi stared at him. "So introduce yourself."  
  
  
Yusuke snorted. "Well, who pissed in her ocha this morning?"  
  
  
Keiko nodded in agreement as Kuwabara spoke again.  
  
  
"My name is, uh, Kuwabara Kazuma, but all my friends call me Kuwabara. That guy," he said, indicating Yusuke, " is Urameshi Yusuke, and the girl next to him is Yukimura Keiko."  
  
  
Mayumi continued to stare at him with a Why-Are-You-Even-Bothering look in her dark blue eyes.  
  
  
Kuwabara courageously tried to continue.  
  
  
"So, if you need help with anything, just holler for Kuwabara, okay?"  
  
  
Mayumi tossed her head and returned to her work. "Thanks, but no thanks, Kazuma. I can take care of myself."  
  
  
Yusuke winced. "Ooh."  
  
  
Kuwabara stared at her in disbelief until Yusuke and Keiko dragged him out of the classroom. 


	3. Something More

"CHIKUSO! I CANNOT FUCKING BELIEVE THIS!"  
  
  
  
"Shut up, Kuwabara, people are gonna hear you and try to get us evicted again!"  
  
"BUT DID YOU HEAR WHAT SHE SAID TO ME?!?!"  
  
Yusuke groaned. "Only about a hundred times."  
  
Kuwabara's face turned a dangerous purple color. "THEN WHY AREN'T YOU MAD, HUH URAMESHI?!?" After looking at Yusuke, he calmed down almost immediately.  
  
Yusuke's face had a troubled look to it. "I know there's something more to her," he said softly. "I just can't figure it out…"  
  
The door opened, and in strolled a boy with long red hair and green eyes. "People are asking who's making all that racket up here," he said in his smooth voice as he sat down next to Yusuke. "It sounded like you, Kuwabara."  
  
Kuwabara reddened slightly. "Sumimasen, Kurama."  
  
Kurama glanced at Yusuke. "You look like something's troubling you."  
  
The delinquent sighed and leaned back into the couch. "There's a new girl at our school, and I can't figure her out. She's mean to everyone…" he rubbed his eyes, thinking. "But I feel sorry for her."  
  
At that point, everyone knew it was really bothering him. Yusuke never admitted that he felt sorry for anyone.  
  
"What's her name?" Kurama asked. Yusuke sighed.  
  
"Her name's Mayumi. I think something's wrong with her…she didn't seem quite, well, human."  
  
Kurama winced.  
  
The door opened again and a girl with long blue hair came in. She was Yusuke's assistant as a Reikai Tantei and her name was Botan. "Hello, boys," she said cheerfully, sitting down by Kuwabara. "What's the story?"  
  
"New girl at school," Kuwabara muttered, grinning. "She's getting to Yusuke."  
  
"Shut up, Kuwabara," Yusuke said dully. Botan grimaced. She had been watching the whole thing from the Reikai.  
  
  
  
"Oh, it's Mayumi, isn't it?" She smiled sympathetically. "Well, for once, Yusuke, your hunch is right. She's not human."  
  
Everyone stared at Botan. "Then what is she?"  
  
Botan sighed. "She's the last of a race of youkai that was wiped out a few thousand years ago. I tried looking up the name, but I got nothing." She looked imploringly at Kuwabara. "Please don't get mad at her for the mean things she does…"  
  
Kuwabara stood up indignantly. "And why not?" he asked angrily. "What she did was uncalled for!"  
  
"She's angry and sad," the blue haired girl said softly. "She doesn't really have control of what she says to people, and I'm sure she regrets it…" She walked over to the window and looked out. "Poor girl."  
  
Kurama's hands clenched into fists. 'I can't get carried away,' he told himself. 'I can't let my feelings show...but is it possible? Is it really her?' He looked out the screen door leading to the balcony. 'I'm sure Hiei knows already.'  
  
--------------  
  
Unbeknownst to everyone, there was a small fire demon sitting on the large tree next to Yusuke's balcony. He was dressed in black and wore a white bandanna over his forehead to cover the Jagan Eye that enabled him to see into the shadows of the Reikai. Right now he had a thoughtful look on his face instead of the emotionless one that he normally wore.  
  
  
  
"So, you feel it too, Kurama...she's back." 


	4. The Fifth Reikai Tantei

Mayumi opened the door to her small apartment and sat down. She was almost in tears, remembering what she had said to that poor boy--  
  
::Thanks, but no thanks, Kazuma. I can take care of myself.::  
  
'Youkai don't cry,' she told herself sternly. 'Did you ever see him cry?'   
  
The pain of thinking about him almost pushed her over the edge of tears. "I can't think about him," she said aloud. "It's better that I don't." She looked down at her right hand, which laid upon her lap. "He would never love me in this form anyway, even if he was still alive…no matter who I was." She cursed, knowing what she would have to do. If she didn't, she would never get any peace of mind.  
  
"Kuso."  
  
------------------------  
  
"Hey Kuwabara, you still mad at her?" Yusuke playfully hit his friend with his briefcase. They were on their way to school two weeks after Mayumi had first appeared at Sariyashiki.  
  
Kuwabara hit him back. "Come on, are you serious? Of course not."  
  
"Good." Yusuke pointed ahead of them. "Because there she is."  
  
The carrot-top gulped. Mayumi was about ten feet in front of them, blocking their path.  
  
"Um…ohayo, Mayumi-san…" Kuwabara muttered, looking at the ground. Yusuke looked at her coldly, ignoring his feelings of pity towards her.  
  
"Look, newbie, get out of the way. We're going to be late for sch--" He stopped in mid-sentence.  
  
Mayumi's face had lost its callous, hard glare and had taken on a soft look. It made her seem almost fragile. Yusuke noticed she still had her right hand in her pocket.  
  
"I just wanted to say," Mayumi began softly, "that I'm extremely sorry about what I did on my first day here. I was…" she trailed off, looking for the right words. "I guess I was afraid, that's all."  
  
"Of us?"  
  
"Of being in a new place, I suppose. I've lived in Osaka all my life." 'Which is part-true,' she thought. 'All my human life I've been there…' She bowed. "Gomen nasai."  
  
Kuwabara grinned. "Don't worry about it, Mayumi-san," he said, waving off her apology. "I guess everyone's nervous about their first day at school. You have to worry about me! Kuwabara Kazuma, worst thug of Sariyashiki Junior High!"  
  
Yusuke whacked him hard with his briefcase again. "No use lying!"  
  
Mayumi smiled softly. "We should go," she said quietly. "The bell will ring in three minutes."  
  
"Oh, kuso…detention again…"   
  
------------------------------  
  
The end-of-school bell had rung and all of the students were gone except Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Mayumi. The two boys were thanking Mayumi profusely for giving Takenaka an excuse for letting them go home instead of detention.   
  
Yusuke had secretly invited all of the Reikai Tantei to his apartment for a meeting yesterday. The oafish Kuwabara had shot his mouth off about it to Mayumi, causing Yusuke to bash his skull in with both of their briefcases.  
  
"You baka! Now she knows, and it's all your fault!"  
  
"Yusuke, I--" Mayumi was interrupted by Yusuke screaming again.  
  
"I told Botan that no ningen or youkai would know about the Reikai Tantei, and you blew our cover!"  
  
"Yusuke, I already knew you two were Reikai Tantei."  
  
The two boys stopped fighting and stared at Mayumi in amazement.  
  
"But…but…" Yusuke stuttered. "How did you know?"  
  
"Because…" Mayumi paused, as if unsure of what to say. "Because I'm also a Reikai Tantei."  
  
"NANI?!" 


	5. Crippled

Everyone sat in Yusuke's living room quietly. Mayumi, sitting in between Kurama and Botan, fingered her jacket with her left hand. Her right was still in her pocket.  
  
The redheaded boy spoke first.  
  
"So, how did you become a Reikai Tantei, Mayumi?" he asked, willing his voice to sound normal, though he felt uneasy about this girl. 'Why does she remind me of her…?'  
  
Mayumi took a deep breath and began to speak.  
  
"I was wounded in the Makai, wounded to the point of death. My spirit went to the Reikai and Koenma-sama offered me another chance at life. If I took the responsibilities of a Reikai Tantei, he would give me a ningen body to inhabit."  
  
Hiei, who sat slightly away from the group, snorted. "And you chose to inhabit a ningen's body, of all things, just to obtain life?" 'And you were the one who detested the ningen,' he added silently.  
  
Mayumi threw him a quick glance. "I was young and foolish then, Hiei," she said quietly. "I would have done anything to live again. Being a spirit is so tedious."  
  
"Hn. Even if it meant you had to live as a cripple?"  
  
The silence in the room could have been cut with a knife.  
  
"I knew what I would have to go through," Mayumi said quietly. "I knew about the pain and the ridicule."  
  
"Yet you decided to take the body."  
  
Yusuke looked from Hiei to Mayumi. "What the hell's going on here? Who's crippled?" Then his eyes fell on Mayumi's right hand. Kurama, noticing the direction Yusuke's brown eyes were turned to, took Mayumi's hand gently out of the pocket and examined it.  
  
Her right hand was withered and bent at a 90 degree angle from the wrist. The fingers, though long and slim, were crooked and misshapen. She looked away from it.  
  
"It's a hand…yet it serves no purpose. I wish Koenma-sama had not given me a hand at all…" She looked up, and Kurama could have sworn her eyes were shining with tears. "Then I would have nothing to hide."  
  
Kurama's green eyes searched Mayumi's face. "You have nothing to hide," he said gently. "Friends don't hide from each other."  
  
Mayumi's eyes shone with relief and happiness.  
  
"Arigato, Kurama-san…" 


	6. A New Case

It had been more than a month since Yusuke and the others found out that Mayumi was also a Reikai Tantei. She came to the weekly meetings and became dear friends all of them. She was able to make anyone smile, even Hiei, who, when Mayumi talked to him, had a boyish grin nobody had ever seen before. She helped Kuwabara study, and as a result, he managed to get a 95 percent, striking Okubo and the other members of his gang dumb for the next two weeks.  
  
Now they were in Yusuke's living room again, prepared to have another meeting.   
  
Kurama looked around. "Where's Mayu-chan?"   
  
Yusuke shrugged. "I dunno. Said she'd be here shortly."  
  
The door opened and she walked in. All talk stopped at the sight of her face.  
  
"What's up?" Kuwabara asked nervously. "Do we have another case?"  
  
Mayumi held up a videotape. "Yes," she said almost distractedly. "Koenma-sama told me to show this to you." She popped the tape in the VCR.  
  
Everyone gathered around the television and saw a toddler with a large purple hat and a blue pacifier.   
  
"Konnichiwa, minna-san," Koenma said in a high-pitched voice. "Long time, no case. Well, I hate to burst your bubbles about never having another one, Yusuke and Kuwabara--"  
  
The two boys rolled their eyes as everyone but Mayumi chuckled slightly.  
  
"--but I'm afraid you've got yourselves another one, and a serious one at that," Koenma continued. "You boys have a new opponent, and he's a strong youkai as anyone could ever NOT hope to see. Mayumi can tell you about him. And Mayumi…" He seemed to be actually looking at her, standing just outside the half circle. "…don't leave ANYTHING out. Good luck."  
  
The tape stopped. Mayumi pulled it out of the VCR and put it back in the case.  
  
"Hey, Mayu-chan," Kuwabara asked. "What's he talking about? What's this new case?"  
  
Mayumi sat down on the couch, breathing heavily. She covered her eyes with her good hand, shaking her head.  
  
Kurama sat next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What is it?" he asked gently. "Tell us."  
  
She took a shuddering breath. "We have to face an incredibly strong shadow demon called Daisuke. He's…awful. Three thousand years ago, he put a curse on Ningenkai, causing a terrible darkness on the world. I remember hearing screams of the tortured ningen even all the way down in Makai…"  
  
Kurama froze.   
  
'Why does it keep coming back to me?' 


	7. Second Memory

Memory  
"Please…"  
  
The kitsune knelt next to his friend, trying to comfort her. She covered her ears, trying to block out the screams and wails of the ningen being tortured.  
  
"Make it stop…those poor ningen…I can't take it…" Tears spilled over her eyes of lapis. She began to sob. "Kurama, can't you do something? Anything to ease their suffering?"  
  
"I thought you hated the ningen."  
  
"Nobody deserves to feel that kind of pain…not even the ningen…Daisuke has to stop. This has gone far enough…"  
  
She let go of Kurama and stood up determinedly, wiping the tears off her cheeks.   
  
"This has to stop." 


	8. A Second Darkness

"So what are we going to do?" Yusuke was asking. "Daisuke can't touch Keiko."  
  
"Anything it takes to stop him once and for all," Mayumi said sternly. "Don't worry," she said in a gentler tone of voice. "Nobody will hurt Keiko. I've sent spirits to watch over her. She will be safe."  
  
Yusuke sighed with relief. Mayumi assumed a steely countenance again.  
  
"We have to be serious about this," she said coldly. "Any mistakes and the world could be plunged into a second darkness, this time not just affecting the Ningenkai. The Reikai and Makai will suffer also. We will meet at Sariyashiki tomorrow night, 11 p.m. sharp. We will discuss what we will do then." She turned to leave, then looked over her shoulder. "And anyone who's afraid, don't bother to show up," she said callously. "We don't need any chickens running around and getting themselves killed, because it's very likely that at least one of us will die. I'll see you tomorrow night."  
  
She walked out of the room. Kuwabara had turned pale.  
  
"She scares me," he squeaked. Yusuke nodded, staring after her. "No joke."  
  
Hiei shook his head. "It was only a matter of time," he said softly. "Until Daisuke came back."  
  
Kurama leaned back. "Let's only hope we're not too late this time." 


	9. First Fight

All five Reikai Tantei were at Sariyashiki Junior High before the bell chimed 11 p.m. They all had very anxious faces except Hiei, who wore his usual expression: none whatsoever.  
  
Mayumi smiled. "Good. No chickens."  
  
Yusuke coughed and nudged Kuwabara. Hard.  
  
"Shut up, Urameshi!"  
  
"We don't have time for this," Kurama said. "Let's go." Hiei nodded.  
  
With Mayumi leading the way, the five of them trooped through the dark streets. It was a long time before anyone spoke.  
  
"Mayumi," Hiei said shortly. "Where exactly are we going?"  
  
"Straight."   
  
The fire youkai rolled his ruby eyes. Kurama nudged him.  
  
"Don't worry, Hiei," he said. "Mayu-chan knows where she's going."  
  
"Arigato, Kurama-kun!" Mayumi said appreciatively, giving him the thumbs-up sign. "See? I know what I'm doing."  
  
"How do you know?" Kuwabara asked skeptically. Mayumi sighed.  
  
"Well, for one, our first opponent's walking toward us."  
  
They stopped as a man dressed in a business suit walked toward them. "Excuse me," he said in a pleasant voice. "Do you know where the bus stop is?"  
  
"Yeah, it's right over--" Kuwabara began, but was stopped when clapped her hand over his mouth.  
  
"The location of the bus stop is the least of your worries, Saito," she said in an icy tone. "You'll have to deal with us first."  
  
The man scowled, and his features began to change from an ordinary gentleman into a large, scaly beast.  
  
"It's been a long time since I've eaten ningen," he said in a raspy voice, licking his sharp fangs. "Which one of you is first?"  
  
Kuwabara stepped forward. "I'll take this bastard," he said, forming his Rei Ken and assuming battle stance.  
  
"You're mine!" Saito roared, charging towards Kuwabara, two foot claws outstretched, ready to gore his opponent.  
  
"Oh yeah?" the ningen asked arrogantly. "We'll have to see about that! REI KEN!" he yelled, running towards the youkai with the flaming sword outstretched.  
  
Saito fell over, dead, pinned to the ground by the sword. Dark blood seeped from the wound, discoloring the concrete.  
  
"Not bad, Kuwa-kun," Mayumi said admiringly. "Easy, but not bad."  
  
Kuwabara didn't cheer. "That was too easy," he muttered, looking around. "We have to be careful…something's not right."  
  
They kept walking down the road. 


	10. A Rest

Two hours later, they were miles away from Sariyashiki and there were no more signs of youkai.   
  
"We've gotta rest," moaned Yusuke, slumping down against a tree. They had reached a park. "I can't walk anymore."  
  
"Same goes for me," panted Kuwabara. "I can't feel my legs."  
  
They half-expected Mayumi to scorn even the mere thought of a break, but she smiled instead. "One hour." She walked away from the group and disappeared into the night.  
  
Kurama stared after her. Yusuke grinned. "She's not leveling, even with you, buddy."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"I know you two have been checking each other out," the delinquent said, smirking. "My favorite fox-boy, a stud? Who would have believed it?"  
  
"She's hiding something," Kuwabara said, flopping down beside Yusuke. "Why do you think she let us rest? She wants to be alone."  
  
"For once, the lump is right," Hiei said.   
  
"Who are you calling a lump, shrimpy?!"  
  
"Follow her," Yusuke said, leaning back. "She'll tell you."  
Mayumi was leaning on a balustrade, looking over at the city. The lights shimmered like stars.   
  
She took a deep breath, taking in the night air and the city limits. She didn't need to look over her shoulder to know that someone was there.  
  
"Suteki da, ne?" she whispered as the redhead stood next to her. He smiled.  
  
"It sure is." Kurama's tone became concerned. "What were you doing out here, all by yourself? One of Daisuke's youkai could have attacked you, and we wouldn't have been able to help."  
  
Mayumi smiled sadly. "To tell you the truth, I wouldn't have cared…"  
  
Kurama looked at her quickly. "Nani?!"  
  
"I wouldn't have cared if I was killed by a youkai, or anything for that matter," she reiterated, staring into the lights. "I've been wishing I was dead for fourteen years now." She shook her head. "It's just not worth it."  
  
"If you're talking about your hand--"  
  
Mayumi faced him. "But I'm not," she whispered. "It happened many years ago…" 


	11. Third Memory

Memory  
She stood on the stone balcony, gazing at the moon. Her silver dress shimmered, making it seem like she wore a river of light. The sounds of a party could be heard, but she had no desire to join.  
  
She waited for someone that she knew would not be there.  
  
A shadow crossed her line of vision and she turned around. She could see the outline of a tall man with…fox ears?  
  
"What are you doing here?" she gasped. "Get away!"  
  
The kitsune stepped into the light. His long silver hair shone. "So you don't want to see me, is that it?" He sounded hurt. "Is it because I'm a murderer? I'll leave you to your party then, Your Highness."  
  
The girl's face softened. "Of course I want to see you, Kurama," she whispered. "But I don't want you to get hurt." She smiled. "And you're not a murderer...just a petty thief."  
  
Kurama rolled his eyes. "Anyway," he said, "I have something for you." He pulled out a box and she took it curiously.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Open it!"  
  
There was a beautiful lapis lazuli pendant inside. It was on a silver chain and the dark blue stone was encased in silver. She gasped.  
  
"Oh, Kurama, it's beautiful!" she said, hugging the kitsune tightly. He smiled and held another one up, this time set with a white stone.  
  
"I've got one too, just in case we get separated. If you ever think that someone might be impersonating me, ask them for this pendant. That will tell you."  
  
"Would you be jealous if someone took me besides you?"  
  
"Insanely jealous."  
  
The princess smiled. "That's what I wanted to hear." She embraced him again and got one in return. "Aishiteru."  
  
They kissed, silhouetted by the moonlight.  
  
Which is exactly how the guards found them a few seconds later.  
  
"There he is!"  
  
"Seize him!"  
  
"Take him to His Majesty!"  
  
"Run!" she screamed to the kitsune. "Get away from here!"  
  
Kurama jumped off the balcony and ran. The guards took out their crossbows.  
  
"Iie!" the girl screamed, tugging at the crossbows. "Please! Spare him!"  
  
The guard turned, baring sharp teeth. "You'll be getting a reprimand too, missy, for associatin' with that kitsune!" He grinned. "And now you get to watch him die."  
  
She heard a scream. Kurama had been hit in the back with an arrow. Then another. Then another.  
  
It seemed to take a long time for him to fall.  
  
Her dark blue eyes had filled with tears, which spilled over her cheeks. She didn't seem to register the fact that her lover was bleeding on the ground. Then--  
  
"IIE!!!!!" she screamed, falling to the ground. Kurama looked up weakly in time to see the guards snatch her arms and start dragging her away.  
  
"Stop!" he yelled, stumbling to his feet. Two more guards released the remainder of their arrows.  
  
Four black feather-tipped arrows stuck out of his chest and three were embedded in his back.  
  
Just before they dragged her inside the castle, she saw her kitsune fall, defeated, onto the tall grass that they had played on only a week ago. 


	12. Together Again

Mayumi's knuckles were white from gripping the balustrade as she told her tale. The only noise that could be heard for a while afterwards was the chirping of the crickets.  
  
"May I see your pendant?"  
  
Mayumi was surprised. Kurama's voice sounded breathless, hopeful, and yet fearful. She pulled it out from under her shirt.  
  
She was right: It was a beautiful thing. She smiled sadly.  
  
"We would have known each other for two thousand years today," she said softly. "But he died."  
  
Kurama touched her pendant gently. "So it's true," he said in a ragged whisper.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
The redhead reached under his shirt and pulled out a pendant set with a large white stone.  
  
Mayumi stared at it for a minute. "No," she said finally. "It's not true."  
  
Kurama was taken aback. "Why not?"  
  
"You aren't a kitsune."  
  
"I told you that if I had the pendant, you'd know it was me," he said softly, then smiled. "Your Highness."  
  
They were silent for what seemed to be hours. Then--  
  
"KURAMA!!" Mayumi screamed, barreling into him with the force of a cannonball. She hugged him tightly, sobbing. "I thought you were dead," she cried. "I thought you were dead…"  
  
The redheaded boy stroked her head gently. "It's all right," he whispered, burying his face in her hair. "It's all right…"  
  
They both held each other for a long time. Mayumi was the first to break from the embrace.  
  
"You escaped to the Ningenkai, then," she whispered. "That's why you're here."  
  
Kurama nodded. Mayumi looked away, ashamed. She withdrew her hands from his own.  
  
"Why do you still love me?" she asked softly. "I don't possess the beauty that used to be mine in the Makai. I'm a cripple."  
  
"I don't care how you look," the reply came from behind as Kurama took her withered hand in his own perfect one. "I care about you. I care about the Princess Mayumi that loved an unworthy kitsune with all her heart." He spread out his arms.  
  
Mayumi withdrew into her lover's tender embrace. "I have something for you." She took a small, thin branch with white blossoms scattered over it, handing it to Kurama. "It's a dogwood branch," she said. "As long as both of our hearts belong to each other, the blossoms will never wither." She smiled. "It's a love pact."  
  
Kurama put the branch with his rose and held Mayumi tightly. "Your heart will be mine forever."  
  
They kissed. 


	13. A Silent Conversation

Yusuke and Kuwabara were both asleep when they came back. Kurama sighed, shaking his head. "You'd think they were at home or something."  
  
Mayumi took a deep breath and began talking in a very loud voice. "WELL IT'S TOO BAD THEY'RE ASLEEP, ISN'T IT? I GUESS THAT KURAMA AND ME ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE GONNA KICK ASS TONIGHT--"  
  
The two boys sprang up like they had been awake the whole time. Yusuke brushed some dirt off his jacket.  
  
Mayumi looked around. "Where's Hiei?"  
  
Kuwabara shrugged. "I don't keep tabs on the midget."  
  
"Midget, who?"  
  
The tall boy gulped as Hiei landed in front of him. He half-expected the youkai to launch a Black Dragon Wave on him like he did to Zeru at the Ankoku Bujitsukai, but Hiei just smiled.  
  
"We should get going."  
  
They walked in silence. Kurama's head was spinning.   
  
'It's strange...how she acted so calm before tonight...she must have known that someone she once knew was here, and she already knew about Hiei...could it be that she had forgotten?'  
  
Forgotten. The very thought of the word sent a chill down his spine. How awful, how terrible the feeling must be, to not be acknowledged by the ones you loved because your existence had slipped their minds.  
  
He could have never forgotten about Mayumi, even if he had wanted to. He remembered every last detail of her...her long, silky tresses, the way her blue eyes sparkled when she smiled, her smell--a mixture of rainwater and lavender blossoms.  
  
  
  
How could she have forgotten about him?  
  
Mayumi's voice came into his head.  
  
'I never forgot about you, Kurama.'  
  
He glanced at Mayumi and opened his mouth to speak. She shook her head, a movement that was almost indistinguishable, and silently put a finger to her lips.  
  
'If that's the case, why didn't you say something about it before?'  
  
'Why did YOU never say anything about it?'  
  
Kurama couldn't think of anything to...well, think. This WAS a telepathic conversation, after all.  
  
They were both silent for a while. Then Mayumi's voice came into his head again.  
  
'I saw you die, Kurama. If you saw me die like that, would you want to think about it?'  
  
The girl had a good point.  
  
'The truth is, Kurama, I didn't want to accept the fact that you were here.'  
  
'Why not?' Kurama's reply was indignant. 'Do you mean to tell me that I spent seventeen years just looking for you, waiting for you to come here, and then you tell me you wished that I wasn't here?'  
  
'No, Kurama, of course not.' Her reply was quiet. 'I just thought...what if you were taken away from me? Again? And what if I was the cause?'  
  
The red haired boy glanced at her again and saw a tear roll silently down her cheek. She brushed it away quickly so that nobody else could see.  
  
'I couldn't live with a burden like that on my soul.'  
  
--------------------------------  
  
Hiei was walking next to Kurama. Of course he heard the whole conversation, careful not to let his thoughts reach into their paths. They would probably kill him for eavesdropping on a VERY private conversation, even though they had stopped communicating.  
  
'I could probably have Kurama let me go unscathed,' he thought dully. 'But Mayumi...if she ever knew I heard that from her...'  
  
He shuddered slightly, remembering what she could do with her Reiki. He saw that only once, and kuso, that had been the scariest thing he, Hiei, had ever seen.  
  
The fire youkai pitied Daisuke at that moment. When they got there, he was going to catch hell. 


	14. Second Fight

They had no sooner left the expansive park when Yusuke shouted, "Hey! Over there! Another one!"  
  
Everyone looked. It was a red three-eyed youkai. Its long fangs were dripping with saliva. Its claws looked like they could rip the whole of Japan in two.  
  
Yusuke pushed Hiei forward. "Three-eyed youkai versus three-eyed youkai," he joked. "Who will survive?" Kuwabara snorted appreciatively.  
  
Hiei rolled his eyes at the two boys doubled over with laughter. "Oh, shut up, Detective," he said in a voice that made them stop laughing immediately.  
  
"This youkai is unknown to me," Mayumi said softly to Kurama. "A new recruit, perhaps...to get rid of us."  
  
"Or," Kurama said, "distract us."  
  
The battle was over as soon as it had begun. A few quick strokes from Hiei's katana brought the youkai to his knees, then to his face, as he split apart into seventeen chunks of bloody, gristly youkai.  
  
Kuwabara wrinkled his nose. "Eww."  
  
They continued on, stepping over the dead youkai. 


	15. Two More Fights

A storm was brewing in the distance. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, bringing them out of the gloom for just a split second before plunging them back into the thick darkness.  
  
They did not have to wait long for the next youkai. It charged them from behind, roaring. They didn't even get to see what it looked like before they heard a clear voice yell:  
  
"Kagon-retsuzan-shi!!"  
  
A green whip cracked, and the youkai fell to the floor, dead. Mayumi smiled at Kurama and realized something:  
  
'I haven't smiled this much since we were in Makai...'  
  
They didn't even bother stopping. All five of them kept walking towards the storm.  
  
"This is too easy," Yusuke muttered after a while. "We're not even getting hurt when we fight." He looked at Mayumi. "If Daisuke's minions are such pansies, why are you worried?"  
  
"I'm not worried about his minions, Yusuke." She spoke in a clipped voice. "They are the least of our worries...in fact, I think Kurama's right. They are a distraction."  
  
The next youkai was smack in front of them, begging for his life. Yusuke rolled his eyes and demolished him with a blast from his Rei-Gun.  
  
"Damn it, these guys are fucking PANSIES!!" Yusuke yelled. "I WANT TO SEE SOME ACTION!!"  
  
Mayumi looked at the sky. "Those were four minions that Daisuke sent, and he shouldn't have any more" she said, counting on the fingers of her left hand. "In that case, Daisuke wants to fight..."  
  
The lightning flashed again. Mayumi looked around at them, her face whiter than milk.  
  
"Me."  
  
The five Reikai Tantei went forward into the uncertain.  
  
All of them hated the uncertain. 


	16. Daisuke

The five of them stood in the middle of a white stone arena. Before them, they saw a small figure in the distance coming closer. As it drew nearer, they could see that it was a child wearing long white robes. His long blond hair was swept back over his shoulders, and his blue eyes made him look almost angelic.  
  
They stopped a few yards from one another. The child began to speak in a clear, young voice.  
  
"I am Daisuke, the last remaining Kazekage youkai." He smiled at them. "And you must be the foolish Reikai Tantei, set on demolishing what hopes I have for a second darkness on Ningenkai."  
  
Yusuke opened his mouth to retort, but Mayumi stepped in front of them. "Leave my friends out of this," she said in a cold voice, deadly and penetrating. "I am the one you want to fight, Daisuke. Do not antagonize them. I am not here to engage in witty banter." Her eyes were like chips of dark ice as she silently motioned for her friends to step outside the circle. They obeyed; she looked slightly dangerous at that moment. "You will pay for all the ningen you killed.  
  
Daisuke pretended to act surprised. "Why, m'lady Mayumi," he said in a false confused voice. "I thought you hated the ningen, Your Highness."  
  
----------------------------------  
  
Yusuke shook his head. "All this mess over a snotty-nosed little brat."  
  
Kuwabara raised an eyebrow. "What the hell is this Daisuke kid talking about?" he asked.  
  
Kurama shook his head. "I'll tell you later."  
  
Hiei smirked. "Hn." He couldn't remember how many times he had heard THAT before.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
"That has nothing to do with it," Mayumi said to Daisuke. She spat at his feet.   
  
Daisuke's eyes flashed. A dark burst of ki flashed at his hand and he drew a black Rei Ken. "Your skills must be somewhat rusty after years of disuse, Mayumi. I'm looking forward to having the last of your miserable race die at my hands."  
  
----------------------------------  
  
"What the--HEY!!" Kuwabara yelled. "THAT CREEP! HE STOLE MY WEAPON!!"  
  
Yusuke clubbed him in the back of the head. "SHUT UP, KUWABARA!! I'm trying to freakin' watch here!!"  
  
----------------------------------  
  
Mayumi held her left hand up high and it began to emit waves of white Reiki. They elongated and formed one long pole. A flame of Reiki sprang out of her hand and attached itself to the end of the pole, creating a scythe-like blade. She swung it down over her head. "REI-KWAN-DAO!!" she yelle, assuming fighting stance.  
  
  
  
----------------------------------  
  
Kurama gaped. "She...she's really using it! The Rei-Kwan-Dao!"  
  
Yusuke was confused. "Using what?"  
  
"The Kwan Dao is an extremely dangerous Chinese weapon," Kurama said, still staring at Mayumi. "Mayumi--"   
  
"Mayumi has the astounding ability to form one out of Reiki, which, in layman's terms, is a real bitch to do." Hiei finished for him. "Talented one, that Mayumi." He smiled at the girl.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
Daisuke charged, his dark Rei Ken thrust out towards Mayumi. "You're dead!" he yelled. Mayumi easily sidestepped his attack. This happened three more times before he thrust his Rei Ken at her in an unavoidable position.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
"She'll be killed!" Yusuke shouted.  
  
"Mayu-chan, do something!" yelled Kuwabara.  
  
Hiei's ruby eyes were anxious.  
  
"Mayumi!!" Kurama ran to the edge of the circle.  
  
They all gasped.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Sparks flew as Mayumi's Kwan Dao met Daisuke's Rei Ken in midair. Daisuke tried unsuccessfully to slice through Mayumi's weapon. She thrust back at him and they separated.  
  
Daisuke smirked. "You have grown much stronger since last we met."  
  
Mayumi smiled. "So have you."  
  
They lunged at each other once more.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Yusuke's mouth hung open. "Kuso, they're really going at each other."  
  
"GO MAYU-CHAN!!" screamed Kuwabara. "TEAR OUT HIS FUCKING GUTS!!"  
  
  
  
Hiei punched him in the back and the ningen fell, unconscious.  
  
  
  
Kurama looked down at the unconscious Kuwabara. "You didn't kill him, did you?"  
  
"You don't know how much pleasure that would have given me." The fire youkai snorted. "But no, Kurama. He's still alive." He let out a hacking cough that Kurama could have sworn had the word "unfortunately" hidden in it.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
The two were apart once more. Daisuke had a trail of blood running down his chin. Mayumi was holding her side. Both were breathing heavily.  
  
"You have gotten much stronger," the Kazekage said, wiping his mouth. "When we first met, you couldn't even touch me." His eyes flashed maliciously. "When you were captured by the ningen."  
  
Mayumi thrust her Kwan Dao at his neck. "Say one thing about it and your head is the first to go."  
  
Daisuke didn't flinch at the cold Rei blade that hovered mere centimeters away from his throat. "You remember that day...what those ningen did to you." He smirked. "Don't you."  
  
She did. 


	17. Fourth Memory

Memory  
  
"Help me! Please, somebody, help me!"  
  
The cries came from a girl sitting on the floor, backing away from the ningen warrior who advanced on her.  
  
"You've been stripped of your powers, Tsukiko. Your father's doing, I suspect, for associatin' with that damn kitsune. He's right, you know: Youko Kurama was nothin' but trouble." He pulled out an ofuda scroll and waved it back and forth, teasing her with it.  
  
She recognized the charm on that ofuda. It was a charm meant to burn the skin right off of Tsukiko youkai.  
  
She was a Tsukiko youkai.  
  
"You see this?" the warrior asked rhetorically.  
  
Transfixed by the ofuda, she didn't answer. He smiled cruelly.  
  
"This ofuda scroll is supposed to burn the skin right off a Tsukiko youkai," he said, coming closer. "I take it you are one."  
  
The girl backed up against the cold stone wall. "No," she whispered. "Please..."  
  
He let the piece of paper touch her right wrist.  
  
She screamed. 


	18. Wiped Out

Daisuke smiled grimly as his opponent recalled the painful memory. "I was there, Mayumi," he whispered. "I told your father to torture you."  
  
Mayumi looked up at him, eyes blazing. "You didn't even know me then!"  
  
He just smiled. That really got Mayumi angry.  
  
"If that fucking smile is not gone from your fucking face in three fucking seconds, I'm going to have to fucking wipe it off for you and you won't look nowhere fucking near what you fucking look like now, you little fucktart."  
  
It was still there.  
  
She charged at him.  
  
----------------------------  
  
Yusuke eyed Mayumi with respect. "I didn't know she could curse like that."  
  
Hiei shook his head. "She used that word seven times in one sentence."  
  
Kurama was trying to fight back the urge to laugh. "What can I say? When she gets pissed, she gets really, REALLY pissed."  
  
Kuwabara just kind of laid there.  
  
All of a sudden, there was a scream.  
  
And it didn't sound a whole lot like Daisuke.  
  
----------------------------  
  
Mayumi lay facedown on the floor. Blood seeped through the cuts that Daisuke's Rei Ken had made. Her dark blue eyes, normally bright and full of some kind of emotion, were blank and lifeless as they stared unseeingly at her friends, who stood where they were, shocked.  
  
Daisuke smiled, sheathing his weapon. "Finally you die."  
  
The Reikai Tantei stared at Mayumi's lifeless form. All kinds of emotions ran through their heads: anger, sadness, fear, hatred...it soon became too much.  
  
Kurama was the first to charge. "All right, Daisuke, you are so fucking in for it now!"  
  
With a wave of his hand, Daisuke threw the kitsune to the other side of the ring. He lay there, wavering between consciousness and unconsciousness.  
  
"KURAMA!!" Yusuke yelled. He fixed his rage-filled brown eyes on Daisuke, who smiled coolly at him. "ALL RIGHT, FUCKER, IT'S OVER!!"  
  
A few seconds later, he lay alongside Kurama.  
  
Hiei unleashed his Black Dragon Wave. Daisuke caught it, and it dissipated. With another wave of his hand, Hiei was flung to the other side of the ring.  
  
Daisuke glanced at Kuwabara, still unconscious. He shrugged and let him lay there.  
  
"Now I can get down to business." 


	19. The Dream

It felt like he was underwater, yet he could breathe. Weird. He opened his eyes. In front of him stood a girl with long black hair and blue eyes. She wore a long silver dress.  
  
"Mayumi," he tried to say, but it came out as a whisper. She came closer and put a long white finger to his lips.  
  
"Don't talk, Kurama. You're hurt."  
  
"Look who's talking."  
  
"I won't be hurting for that much longer, don't worry...just tell me one thing."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"...Do you love me? Not just as a friend, but as part of you?"  
  
"...Chikuso, Mayumi, I'd kill myself a thousand times for you."  
  
"......."  
  
"...Yes."  
  
Mayumi smiled. "You're a dear."  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"In a dream. Yours, to be more specific."  
  
"...Am I dead?"  
  
"No, silly." Her voice seemed sad. "Don't worry. You won't die for a long time." She caressed his face with the tip of one finger. It sent a shiver down his spine.  
  
"You have to wake up now, Kurama."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
She disappeared.  
  
You  
  
You have  
  
You have to  
  
You have to wake  
  
You have to wake up  
  
You have to wake up now. 


	20. Defeated

Kurama woke up with a jolt. 'Where am I?' Then he remembered everything: Daisuke and Mayumi fighting...Mayumi's body on the ground, lifeless.   
  
He seethed with anger and tried to get up, but it was too painful. He looked around, searching for Mayumi.  
  
She wasn't there. Then a voice, crystal clear and mad as hell, spoke.  
  
"You're not getting away with this, Daisuke!!"  
  
It was Mayumi. She stood outside of the ring, her hands clasped together as in prayer. A white aura surrounded her body.   
  
Everyone awoke, disturbed by the burst of Reiki. Kuwabara started backing away.  
  
"Uh, guys...I think we should leave."  
  
They heard Mayumi's voice in their heads. "Listen to Kuwabara. Move it. I don't want any of you getting hurt."  
  
The three other boys got up and walked out of the ring.  
  
"I SAID MOVE IT!!"  
  
They began running. Even though Hiei was much faster than any of them, he ran as though his life depended on it. 'Which,' Kurama thought, 'It probably does.' After they were at a safe distance from the two other fighters, they looked back.  
  
Waves of Reiki were being emitted from Mayumi's body. She was enveloped in her own power. Her aura changed from white to a deep red that reminded everyone of blood. It took the form of a huge grinning skull, hovering in midair.  
  
Raising her arms from her original praying position, she thrust them towards Daisuke, who stood there, mesmerized by the gargantuan skull.  
  
"YOUKAI-SHI-HA!!" she screamed. The skull dove on the child demon, enveloping everything in red mist.  
  
They watched all of this from a distance, mouths hanging open at this new power. "Christ," Yusuke said, staring at the mist. "Christ."   
  
Hiei backed away. He knew what was coming.   
  
A terrible scream came from the red mist. It raised the hair on the backs of their necks. Yusuke and Kuwabara put their hands over their ears. "What the hell is that?!" yelled Kuwabara.  
  
"It's Daisuke!" Kurama shouted over the noise. "Mayumi's winning!"   
  
There was a huge bang, like a bomb had been detonated.  
  
"HIT THE DECK!!" Hiei screamed. They threw themselves on the ground just as a violent wind passed over them, so close that it ruffled their hair. Soon afterward, a huge aftershock swept through the area.   
  
After that, everything was silent.  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
Mayumi lowered her arms, breathing heavily. 'I've done it,' she thought. 'He's dead.' She looked around and didn't see anyone there.  
  
"Yusuke?" she called. "Kurama? Guys, you can come out now!"  
  
There was no answer.  
  
"Come on, it's all right! He's gone!"  
  
Still nothing.  
  
"This isn't funny! Seriously, it's okay now!"  
  
It was silent.  
  
"You guys!" Mayumi screamed, starting to panic. "Where are you?!" She ran around the area, calling their names.  
  
"Stop this right now! You're not funny at all! I don't want to play!!"  
  
She was about to go over the edge when she saw Hiei's white face peeking out behind a rock.  
  
"DON'T DO THAT EVER AGAIN," he gasped. "You scared the shit out of me!" The other boys came out of the hiding place. "No joke," Kuwabara said, rubbing his chest. "I think my heart stopped."  
  
"Too bad it wasn't permanent," Hiei said under his breath. Kuwabara didn't hear him.  
  
Mayumi gave a sigh of relief. "I thought I had killed you guys." She walked out to meet them. "Let's go home."  
  
They started to walk away. They hadn't gone more than a few paces before Mayumi stopped suddenly.  
  
Kurama turned around. "What's wro--"  
  
He never got to finish.  
  
Mayumi stood there, a long pole made of dark Reiki thrust through her stomach. Yusuke's eyes widened. He saw Daisuke kneeling behind her, badly hurt. He had the pole in his hands.  
  
"If...I die," he whispered savagely. "I might as well...take you down with me..."  
  
He fell over, dead, his blue eyes unseeing. The pole vanished.  
  
Mayumi fell to the ground. 


	21. Dying Words

"Mayumi! Mayu-chan, talk to me!"  
  
Kurama held Mayumi in his arms, shaking her in his desperation. "Come on, you can't die! You defeated him!"  
  
She opened her eyes slowly. "Go...gomen nasai..." she said softly.  
  
The red haired boy smiled slightly. "There's nothing to be sorry about. You helped everyone."  
  
"I have to leave you..."  
  
"No." Kurama shook his head fiercely. "No, you're staying here. You're not going anywhere."  
  
"Come on, Mayu-chan, you can beat this," Yusuke said softly. "You're strong. You can beat this!"  
  
"I have to tell you something." Mayumi murmured. Kuwabara bent over her. "What is it?"  
  
"Don't...don't make the same mistake that I made."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Mayumi's voice was becoming stronger. "I said for you not to make the same mistake that I made," she repeated firmly. "I took forgranted every little thing in my lives, as a youkai and as a ningen. I ran away from the fights that seemed too tough. I made someone else fight for me."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Hiei asked, but in a gentle, anxious voice that made the other boys look at him strangely. He glared at them. "What?"  
  
"I spent so much time wrapped up in every bad thing that happened to me that...well, it got to the point that I never saw the good in anything anymore. I became such a huge pessimist that nobody wanted me around anymore...except the only two that would put up with me."  
  
Hiei coughed.  
  
"So I want you to enjoy your lives while you've still got them. Clear?"  
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded, apparently at a loss for words.  
  
"No, Mayumi, you can't do this," Kurama said violently. "I won't let you!"  
  
Mayumi grabbed him by the shirt collar. "Do you think I want to do this?" she asked him. "Do you think I want to leave all of you, when you mean so much to me? Do you think I want to die?"  
  
Hiei shook his head. "Not from the way you're acting."  
  
Yusuke threw a rock at him. "HIEI, WOULD YOU SHUT UP?"  
  
Kurama shook his head as Mayumi let him go. "But..."  
  
"No buts. I want you to listen to me. Go tell your mother that you love her, give her a hug, and thank God that you have her."  
  
"But..."  
  
Mayumi put her finger on his lips. "Would you shut up for a minute?" she said softly. "I'm trying to tell you something."  
  
Kurama felt her pulse growing weaker. He bent closer so he could hear her.  
  
"I already knew I was going to die...but I didn't want to tell you. Take care of the others, especially the two ningens behind you." She looked at them. "Be good. Where's Hiei?"  
  
The fire youkai came over to her. She smiled slightly. "Try not to kill Kuwabara."  
  
Hiei rolled his eyes. Kuwabara gulped. "Don't worry," Hiei said. "I won't." Kuwabara relaxed.  
  
"Just...one more thing..." Mayumi whispered. "Don't--"  
  
She stopped.  
  
Kurama felt the hand that held his lose its grip and fall to the floor. The light was erased from Mayumi's deep blue eyes. All of them sensed her Reiki disappear.  
  
Mayumi was gone.  
  
They were all silent. Kurama closed Mayumi's eyes silently. Yusuke sank to his knees.  
  
"She's gone." He seemed to be talking to himself. "She's really gone."  
  
Kuwabara shook his head in disbelief. "Kuso..."  
  
Hiei looked at the ground as though it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen in his life.  
  
Kurama didn't say anything. He just continued to hold her.  
  
Hiei looked up at the deep blue sky, the color of Mayumi's eyes.  
  
He was the only one that noticed one of the stars go out. 


	22. Last Goodbye

Kurama sat on his bed, looking out the window at the sky, which was growing brighter by the minute. He constantly strained his ears for the sound of Mayumi's voice, anywhere, he didn't care where it was. As long as it was there.  
  
'It won't be there, baka,' he thought. 'Because you let her go. We buried her.'   
  
::FLASHBACK::  
  
Yusuke put a hand on Kurama's shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "But we've got to bury her. We can't do anything else."  
  
Kurama nodded silently and got up, still holding Mayumi. Hiei punched the ground, creating a hole.  
  
"Go ahead, Kurama," Kuwabara said. "Take as much time as you need."  
  
Kurama landed in the hole and laid Mayumi down gently. "Gomen nasai, Mayumi," he said softly. "I wasn't able to do anything to save you." He kissed her forehead and climbed out.  
  
Kuwabara and Yusuke filled the hole with the loose earth surrounding them. After they had finished, everyone stood there silently.  
  
Finally, Kurama turned to leave. "Let's go," he said coldly. "There's nothing we can do anymore."  
  
They all looked up at him, surprised at his tone. Yusuke nodded.  
  
"Let's go home."  
  
::END OF FLASHBACK::  
  
There was a soft swishing noise behind him. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was.   
  
"I would like to be alone, Hiei, if that's all right with you."  
  
The fire youkai smiled ruefully. "Not a chance. You may look calm and collected on the outside, but I know what you feel inside."  
  
Kurama glared at him. "I'm not going to commit suicide or anything. Jesus."  
  
"I'm not very tactful, am I?"  
  
"No, I'm afraid not." He went back to staring out the window. "Who sent you, anyway? Yusuke? I know you would never do anything Kuwabara said."  
  
Hiei snorted. "Damn straight. Anyways, I came here of my own free will."  
  
"Please, Hiei. I want to be alone."  
  
The voice that met his reply was quiet. "Hn."  
  
Kurama was surrounded once again by blessed silence. 'I didn't want to do that, Hiei," he thought apologetically. "I just...well, you know..." He punched his pillow. "I wish I wasn't a youkai! I wish I was just a ningen! Then maybe I wouldn't have to go through this!" After saying that, he felt different...lighter...relieved of a huge burden. Maybe he just needed to get that off his chest.   
  
It was some time before he fell asleep.  
  
Hiei stood outside his friend's window, watching his sleeping form. "You'll be okay," he said softly. "We'll all be okay."  
  
With a swish of his cloak, he was gone.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
When Kurama awoke, he was in a field. A river flowed quietly a few yards away. Looking around, he saw that his friends were with him, too. He quickly walked over to Yusuke and woke him up.  
  
Yusuke yawned widely. "Where the hell are we?" He lifted his left hand off the ground in disgust. "For Christ's sake, Kuwabara, even I don't drool when I sleep!"  
  
Kuwabara awoke. "Huh?"  
  
His friend shook his head. "Never mind."  
  
Hiei landed next to Kurama. "So you're here too."  
  
"Yes. Do you have any idea where we are?"  
  
"No, but..." Hiei pointed to a figure in the distance. "I think she might."  
  
He was pointing to a girl with long black hair. She wore a tight fitting black sleeveless tank top and loose black pants.  
  
"It..." Kurama gaped at her. "It can't be..."  
  
"It is!" Yusuke said in disbelief.   
  
"Huh?" Kuwabara's mouth hung wide open.  
  
Mayumi sauntered towards them, grinning.  
  
Yusuke elbowed Hiei. "I thought she died."  
  
"No shit, Sherlock. We're in a dream."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara by the shirt collar. "KUWABARA, IF YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, I SWEAR I WILL--"  
  
"Is that all you guys have done since I died?"  
  
They all looked at Mayumi, who was shaking her head and smiling. "I swear, even if you live to be a hundred, you guys will never grow up."  
  
"Mayumi," Kurama said softly, walking towards her. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I didn't get to finish what I said," she replied. "You know me, I always finish what I start." She looked at the river for a few minutes.  
  
"Where are we?" Kuwabara asked, breaking the silence. Mayumi looked at him.  
  
"We're at a certain place in Makai. The only green place where there is no killing. To be specific, we're in a dream."  
  
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT?!?!?!"  
  
"Kurama."  
  
Mayumi's voice, though softer than that of Hiei, was more powerful than his yelling.  
  
"Do you still have what I gave you before Daisuke?"  
  
Kurama nodded. Mayumi smiled.  
  
"Remember what happens to it if...well, you know."  
  
"What were you going to say before...?" Kurama asked her.  
  
"Don't forget me, okay?"  
  
They all looked at her. Her eyes had tears in them. "What?"  
  
"I said don't forget me, okay?"  
  
Kurama shook his head. "How could we ever forget you?"  
  
Mayumi looked away. "Just, well...I know already what's going to happen to all of you. You're going to find love...well, it's already apparent to some...and you're going to get married someday. And the old saying, out of sight, out of mind? Just...do as I say. Please."  
  
"It's all right," Kurama said. "I just wish we didn't have to leave you alone like this."  
  
She smiled suddenly. "No, you're not," she said. "You took care of that this morning."  
  
A tall kitsune with long silver hair and fox ears stood beside her. The boys gaped at him.  
  
"But..." Kurama tried to find words to say. "That's me!"  
  
"Not anymore," the kitsune said. "You separated yourself from me this morning. We're two different beings now."  
  
"I thought that we weren't allowed to separate."  
  
"True, but you never wished that we could, did you?"  
  
Kurama couldn't find an answer to that.  
  
Mayumi hugged Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei goodbye. Then she got to Kurama and gave him a long hug.  
  
"Take care of yourself," she whispered. "Shuichi."  
  
They were gone.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
Kurama woke up for real this time. He almost ran to the phone, dialing Yusuke's number.  
  
A groggy voice answered. "H'llo."  
  
"Yusuke. It's me."  
  
"Kurama?"  
  
"Did you have any dreams last night?"  
  
"Uh...yeah, I did."  
  
"About Mayumi? We were in it, correct?"  
  
"Yeah. It was pretty fucked up, too."  
  
"Cut the jokes, Yusuke. I want you to call Kuwabara and tell him to meet us where we buried Mayumi."  
  
"Uh...can I ask why?"  
  
"No."  
  
Kurama hung up and pulled on his jacket. He had no idea why he was doing this. There was some kind of force telling him to go there. Go to Mayumi.  
  
Not caring if he woke up his mother or younger brother, he ran out of the house, his red hair streaming behind him. He heard Yusuke and Kuwabara's voices: "Hey, wait up!" He didn't slow down. He heard Hiei behind him. Still he didn't stop until they had reached Mayumi's grave.  
  
They caught up with their friend. "Kuso, Kurama, I didn't know you could run like that," Yusuke panted. Then something caught his eye.  
  
Kurama stared at the object in front of them.  
  
It was a dogwood tree. 


	23. Shuichi

"You all can go back home now," Kurama said softly, still transfixed by the tree. "Gomen for dragging you out here when you could have been sleeping."  
  
Yusuke smiled and shook his head. "No problem. We're here for you, you know."  
  
Kurama tried to smile. "Yeah, I know."  
  
They left Kurama there.  
  
"So, Mayumi," Kurama said, kneeling in front of the tree. "You're leaving again, huh? Never occured to you how others might feel before you left, did you?" He waited for an answer.  
  
There was none.  
  
"Well let me tell you something, Mayumi, we're all going to be fine without you. In fact, we're going to pretend you never even existed. How's that?"  
  
Still silence.  
  
He hit the ground. "Why don't you answer?"  
  
Silence. Kurama sat there for a minute, seething with anger. How dare she leave them like that. How dare she make a mockery of their power. How dare she. How dare she.  
  
The silence was broken by Kurama's angry voice.  
  
"CHIKUSO, MAYUMI!!" He slammed his fists into the ground. "After all the things we've been through, now is the time you decide to bail. How could you...how could...  
  
A tear fell from his eye, running down his face before splashing on the ground. Another one came. Then another one. "Mayumi," he whispered. "Why did I say those things? How could I have said those things?"  
  
A sob escaped him as he tried to apologize. "Sumimasen...we'll never be whole again without you...but...why did you have to go?"  
  
Her voice came into his head.  
  
::I knew I was going to die...but I didn't want to tell you::  
  
"I'm so sorry, Mayumi...I didn't know what kind of pain you were going through...I only thought of myself...and now that I think of you, you're gone."  
  
He wept with shame.  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
"Excuse me, Minamino-san...I need to talk to you."  
  
"What is it, Asakura-sensei?"  
  
Kurama stood in front of his teacher's desk. His teacher's eyes were concerned.  
  
"Is anything wrong?"  
  
'My soulmate just died, what do you think?' "No, everything's fine."  
  
"The reason I ask is because...well, you seem preoccupied. You failed your biology quiz."  
  
'Is that all?' "I'll try to do better next time."  
  
"Thank you, Minamino-san."  
  
Kurama stepped out into the bright sunlight from Meiou High and started to walk away. He heard two voices that he recognized very well.  
  
"Hey, Kurama, wait up!"  
  
He didn't acknowledge them, just continued walking.   
  
"What's his problem...KURAMA!! YO!! IT'S YUSUKE HERE!!"  
  
"AND KUWABARA!!"  
  
They finally caught up with him. "Come on, Kurama, it's like you don't even know your own name anymore."  
  
"Shuichi."  
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara looked at him. "Nani?"  
  
"My name is Shuichi."  
  
He left them staring at him.   
  
He smiled and shook his head. It took a while for him to get used to the idea too. He was still the same person...just without the essence of youkai about him. He didn't have to lie anymore about his name. It felt good to be his own person for once.  
  
He went home, thinking of the homework he'd have to do before his mother got home. Just another seventeen year old boy. Nothing weird added.  
  
Finally. 


	24. Epilogue: Thank You For Everything

He was kneeling in front of the dogwood tree once more. Kneeling in front of it like he had almost every day for the last ten years.  
  
This time was different, though. He wasn't alone. His wife and young daughter were with him.  
  
And he had come to say goodbye.  
  
"Hey, Mayumi," he said softly. "It's me. I wanted to tell you...I'm leaving today. I'm going to America. I got a job there."  
  
"Shuichi, are you all right?" A young woman with short blonde hair looked out of the car window.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine," he called back. He turned back to the business at hand.  
  
"If only you could see me now...I'm sure you would laugh. I cut my hair...now people don't mistake me for a girl anymore. But...if only you were here..."  
  
His eyes stung. "I just wanted to say that I still love you. And goodbye, Mayu-chan."  
  
Shuichi stood up, looking at the tree's branches. He plucked off one of the blossoms, fingering its silky petals.  
  
He smiled.  
  
"Thank you for everything."  
  
He walked back to the car. Back to his wife and daughter.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay, Shuichi?" his wife asked as he slid into the driver's seat. "You were there for a while."  
  
"No, I'm all right, Takara."  
  
His bright-eyed girl spoke up. "He fine, Kaasan. Don't worry 'bout Otosan."  
  
Shuichi looked at her through the rearview mirror. "Yeah. You're right, Midori."  
  
He drove off, knowing that everything would be just fine.  
  
Because in a special box that he didn't trust to the movers, there was a dogwood branch that still bloomed after ten years.  
  
Because he had a wife and daughter that he cherished with all his heart.  
  
Because he knew that somewhere, a beautiful girl with long black hair and blue eyes played with her faithful kitsune.  
  
~OWARI~  
  
So that's the end. Did you like it? Review! 


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